Kevin McCarthy apparently wants to strip the GOP House members who voted for the bipartisan infrastructure bill of their committee seats. By doing so, he sends the following messages to the electorate:
- The GOP is a tiny tent, with no room for dissenters;
- The GOP has no interest in actually participating in the process of governing unless it has complete control of the agenda; and
- The GOP is totally unprincipled, as Trump wanted an infrastructure bill, too.
Mitch McConnell voted for the bill. Is McCarthy going to try and excommunicate him, and all of the other GOP senators who voted for it, as well? Does that make any sense at all?
Of course not. The real lesson here is that the GOP sees itself as an extremist, nihilistic party, and has no place for anyone who wants to do good for America. If you’re a Trumpist, you can say anything at all, and avoid punishment; if not, get ready for Exile Island.